Personally, I believe fate and free both have a hand in this relationship, and the film seems to hint at that fact.Īt the end of the movie, Joel and Clementine don't discuss how they'll do it all differently this time or make plans to avoid falling into the same pitfalls as their previous relationship, which is a perfect recipe for repeating the mistakes of the past. Those who favor free will probably believe that Joel and Clementine have learned from the past and are capable of creating a brighter future together. If you believe in fate, it stands to reason that Joel and Clementine are destined to hurt each other, and nothing they do will alter that path.
The ending is intentionally left open for each viewer to decide what happens to Joel and Clementine. The last scene of the film shows Joel and Clementine chasing each other on a snow-covered beach, creating new memories to replace the ones they lost. Out of heartache and a bit of spite, Joel decided to do the same, which brings us into the second act of the movie. Turns out, the two had a relationship before, and it turned sour, which led Clementine to erase Joel from her memory. It's a clue that will make sense later.Įventually, Clementine chips away at Joel's shy exterior, and the two begin to fall in love, but if you're expecting a happily ever after fade-out, this isn't that kind of story. Clementine struggles to connect with him, and the conversation quickly devolves into bickering that resembles that of an old married couple. She shares random, intimate details about herself and her life with Joel, as he nervously smiles and mumbles meaningless pleasantries.
From their first conversation, we see a distinct difference in personality between Clementine ( Kate Winslet) and Joel. The two strangers are inexplicably drawn to each other, and suspect they have run into each other before. Joel and the woman end up sharing a train, and after a few tentative glances, she walks over to talk to him.